Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 31, 1991 TAG: 9103310279
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: D-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By PATRICIA G. MANKIN/ SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: BARNSTABLE, ENGLAND LENGTH: Long
A five-hour train ride from Gatwick Airport carries you to the West country and Barnstable, one of the oldest towns in Great Britian. I noted with pleasure not having seen a single billboard after Gatwick.
I enjoyed a week of hiking along Devon coastal paths and through Exmoor National Park.
The hike master, Andrew Bull, (what a lovely English name) picked me up at the quaint Victorian train station and we set off across some of the most unforgettable landscape in all of England. It had the greenest patchwork of fields, divided by lovely, thick hedgerows. There is a rather stark austerity to this land, but a definite romanticism.
Our first night's lodging was in a 16th-century manor house sitting alone on one of the most hauntingly beautiful moors I had seen. Upon entering this home I had the distinct feeling I was in a Masterpiece Theatre production or, better yet, an Agatha Christie mystery with our hostess being a dead ringer for Miss Marple. It was exactly what I had in mind.
The first two days of our hike were met with constant drizzle and gale winds, but somehow this seemed to intensify the feeling of isolation on the sweeping moors. It seemed England was meant to be experienced in this way.
When the sun shone the third day the views of the defiant, serrated coast stopped us dead in our tracks. A more dramatic view I have not seen in a while. I thought, "Oh, yes, this is the England I came to see."
Historically, this coast has been the scene of continuous strife, the bay itself a rendezvous for the British fleet from the 15th century. It has echoed to the noise of battle throughout the ages. Smugglers and pirates have anchored here, and the small ports are full of legends and stories.
Aside from this incomparable coastline, the world of Devon is comprised of ancient Norman churches, thatched whitewashed cottages and quaint villages.
Bull and his family reside in the gorgeous little village of Croyde, set amid the patchwork fields looking out onto the Atlantic. I have yet to find it on any map of Great Britian. We were treated to the infamous Devon cream teas, devouring Devon clotted cream, fresh scones and strawberry jam.
A great deal of the land we passed through is managed by the National Trust, which protects it from changing with the passage of time. I found it reassuring that the set perimeters of the villages are just that - set, and not to be exceeded. We could learn something from them.
A number of the farms are owned by the people, but managed and protected by the National Trust. These Devon farms are neat and compact and boast some pretty pastures and fields.
A more rugged land
Exmoor has a wild, brooding sort of quality. As you stand on the highest point your gaze is drawn across the moors to Bristol Channel in the distance. The views are stunning and were the historical focus of the book "Lorna Doone" by R.D. Blackmore. Bull regaled us with this wonderful story as we hiked past points of interest that inspired Blackmore to write this epic.
On our way to Lynmouth and Lynton we passed a lovely religious retreat of matchless architecture placed perfectly on a cove, overlooking the sea on one side and those pristine fields on the other.
Lynmouth and Lynton are Victorian resorts with respectable hotels and villas built with turrets to catch the sea views. These two towns are built at the junction of East and West Lyn before it flows into the sea. This site produced the Lynmouth Flood disaster of August 1952.
Exmoor had been saturated by rain for a fortnight. The next evening there was a cloudburst and 5 inches of rain fell in one hour. Another 4 inches fell the following night and day. It is believed the East and West Lyn that meet at Lynmouth and Lynton brought down 100,000 tons of rock and debris into Lynmouth.
When the waters had gone down, boulders weighing tons lay where streets had been. Thirty-four people drowned. The shore was littered with crumpled and shredded cars and the remains of buildings demolished and carried out to sea by the flood.
The past lingers
From Lynmouth to Lynton on the hill above you can take the only lift on any long-distance footpath. This is the 19th-century cliff railway, which is operated by an ingenious system of hydraulics and rises 950 feet.
At Lynmouth we stayed at a wonderful victorian lodge on a hill overlooking the Bristol Channel. At night you can see the lights of Wales across the channel.
The lovely old Victorian hotel in Lynton has entertainment in the evenings reminiscent of World War II songs. The interior design rivets your eyes to the endless detail.
I don't believe it's my imagination; I have always noticed that in England there is rather a diffused lighting to the landscape. This seems to accentuate the timelessness of the country.
There really is no substitute for seeing a countryside on foot with the wind in your face and endless diversity of the landscape.
If you go
For information on Inn to Inn Hiking, contact Greenscape (United Kingdom), Milkaway Lane, Croyde, North Devon EX33 1NG. England. Tel: Croyde (0271) - 890677 International 011-44-271-890677
Fax: 027-816917
by CNB